All things books, all the time

Why I Think NaNo Anything is Dumb

I think there are going to be a lot of people yelling at me after they start reading this. But that’s okay. Bring on the yelling, well, after you read this. Don’t just go make a dumb comment without reading.

So, this month is Camp NaNoWriMo, right? Which means that instead of the 50,000 word goal that arrives every November, this month is your own goal. Let’s hope this doesn’t turn into a rant.

Okay. So besides these two months of the year that are basically meant to force you to sit down and get some writing done, I believe there is also a month for poetry and also one for short stories. I think. I’m definitely not taking the time to Google any of these things. So we have four months out of the year that are dedicated to getting writers of all things creative to sit their butt in a chair and write. Sounds great on the surface, right? Not really.

During National Poetry Month I read a rant of a poem by one of the well known poets on WordPress. I don’t read her poems anymore because they simply lost their zing, but she was basically calling out every person who was participating in the poem a day challenge. It was her opinion that you shouldn’t need some specified month to get you writing poetry. Now I’m not going to focus specifically on poetry, but our thoughts are essentially the same.

You’re supposed to be a writer, right? Then why the heck do you need some specific month to get writing? I know plenty of people work with word count goals and others just try to get something written out each day and yet others have specified times during the day in which they write. Okay to all of that, but the calendar is moving along just as it does each and every year and suddenly during July and November you decide to get focused? I know you must be seeing how stupid this whole thing sounds. Cause this is basically what you’re telling me, yourself, and everyone else who knows you’re participating in Camp NaNo or NaNoWriMo: “I’m a writer. I work on different writing projects throughout the year, but I get most of my writing done during July and November.” My response to you would be this, “How come you get most of your writing done during those two months?” You’d look at me awkwardly and then say NaNoWriMo. Then I’d proceed to laugh and walk away because I’d like for you to think about your favorite author. Or maybe a few of them. Then find their website and see if they do most of their writing during the months of July and November. I think we both know you wouldn’t find any such information. Cause it’s flat out ridiculous. Period.

One more thing before I just punch someone in the face. You all likely know by now that I started my blog in June of last year so that I could talk about writing my first book (written between June & August) for all of you wondering and no, I had no idea what Camp NaNo was. But last November was the first I’d heard of NaNoWriMo. So I’m like, “Hey I just finished my first book. Maybe I can get started writing my second in this novel writing month thing. I went on to the website and realized what a joke the whole thing is. 50,000 words in 30 days. Why? Because that’s what they say. Even though any serious writer knows 50,000 words is hardly a novel. But that’s besides the point.

Then I took a look at what I think were the past year’s “winners.” They’d written the 50,000 words during the month. And what do you know, almost every single one of the books listed was self-published. I’m not avidly against self-publishing, I’ve done it, but is this really your ultimate goal as a writer? To write a ton during a single month or two only to realize that your writing was shit. The whole “Oh I can edit it later” mindset is about as ridiculous as writing a book in a month for no reason whatsoever. There’s a reason these books are very rarely picked up by traditional publishers. And you and I both know that it has a little something to do with the quality of the writing. They should change the name to National CreateSpace Novel Writing Month because that’s where most of the titles written are headed.

I agree that if you’re a writer, you should be writing anyway without being told to do so and really, 50,000 words doesn’t really equal a whole lot of pages. I tend it pick books that are at least 300 pages or more since I read them fairly quickly.
I do have to say though, self publishing isn’t something just for terrible writers or for someone who couldn’t get a traditional publisher. You work hard on your writing and you want it out there as soon as possible. Why wait around for traditional when there is an option to do it faster? There are so many opportunities for great editing, cover art and so forth, out there. Why not take matters into your own hands?
I think self publishing is a great platform for beginners. It gives them an opportunity to their feet wet. Recently self published books end up on Kindle and I think that’s great. Maybe not right at first as far as income because they obviously sell cheaper but that gives people the chance to maybe grab what could potentially be a best seller for a great price. Great prices generally add up to more sales and clientele in the end.
At the end of the day, everyone has their say and opinions and that’s great because the world would be a pretty boring place if everyone always agreed about everything.

I wouldn’t do it because I simply don’t have the energy. I once read a post where the blogger was basically saying if you haven’t done NaNo what’s wrong with you? I have to say I find that attitude bizarre and quite frankly insulting. I choose when and how much I write and other people can like it or lump it!

I’ve actually done NaNo a couple times. I find that the initial excitement causes me to start something off but in the middle, I fall flat, my daily word count drops to zero and I spend the last week of so trying to catch up. It’s a great push to get something going but I haven’t even been happy enough with the projects I produced to try self publish them.
NaNo isn’t perfect. It’s just like any other challenge. You have to want it enough to keep going but I think anything that gets you motivated to start is a good thing.

“National CreateSpace Novel Writing Month” **insert laughing emoji with tears coming out** I’ve never ever heard of this NaNoNanny-whatever thing until this second. At first I thought you were going to talk about something with the periodic table.

Marissa Meyer wrote her Lunar Chronicles during NaNoWriMo. I know that is just one exception, but I thought it was interesting. I think the biggest draw to NaNoWriMo is the community of other writers. It’s just the easiest place to find more writers. I don’t personally participate in it, but I don’t see anything wrong with others participating in it.

The only thing that sets my outrage meter in this is how you immediately dismiss something that you “don’t get” as dumb. NaNoWriMo shouldn’t be an end-all, be-all, I agree with you on that, but it can be a good creative tool to get something started. Now, it should be noted that, while I’ve participated in NaNo for the past five years without actually “winning,” I have NaNo to thank for the fact that I have a good heaping stockpile of potential novels waiting for when it’s their turn to be expanded and improved and finished. One of the hardest things for a lot of fledgling writers is to just have the determination to keep pushing forward, and NaNo really helps you break through that. You set a goal, you strive to make it. What you get at the end is by no means a novel, but you’ve got a solid rough draft, and that’s when the real writing work begins.

Throughout the year, I set other goals, too, but NaNo also has a community around it for support, and it also changes things up a little bit for something fun and different. It’s a nice tool. It’s a fun challenge. Take it or leave it. I’m sure you’ll leave it. I, though, love a good challenge, and some pretty good stuff has come out of NaNoWriMo for me, including a book that’s going to be released later in August.

Not liking NaNo is fine. Whatever. It’s not for everyone, nor should it be. Railing against something that people enjoy and insulting them just because you don’t like it, though? Now that’s dumb.

Your opinion is as valid as the opinions of those who participate. Who am I or you to judge what a writer does in order to meet goals or create something. I see it as a platform that can inspire and help some people but probably not for me. If someone participates it makes yjrm no more or no less of a writer/author just someone who used a different approach.

I’m starting to realize it is sort of dumb. I’m not going to pretend I haven’t participated in any of them. I mean, I was going to do Camp Nano this month, but then life happened. I tried sitting down to force the words out when I finally had a free moment, but I was just getting stuck. I was stressed about making the word count rather than actually trying to make the story good. I’m removing myself from from my cabin right now.

The article I linked to at the top of this pretty much says the same thing. That people haven’t written novels. They’ve just written. I think writers should be able to motivate themselves to write more so than a month on the calendar.

I didn’t bother to read the article. I know what you’re saying. Haha but in Nano’s defense, it did get me back into the swing last November. Before November of 2013, I hadn’t written anything in about two years. No, I didn’t make the 50k word goal, but I wrote 35k that month and have written almost every day since. But I’m not going to participate anymore… with that kind of deadline, my writing was absolutely terrible!

Can you imagine the people who go way over and beyond and write like 75,000 or even 100,000 words during the month? I’m imagining their sentences like “chicken chicken chicken chicken.” Cause how? Just crazy.

And I don’t understand it. At all. Like why not sit down for two or three or even four months and write. You’ll get where you need to get and you won’t go back and cry at how horrible it all was. Haha. Random thought: there’s a guy on WordPress who tries to write 1,000,000 words a year. Read that again. A million! Which is like….80,000 ish words a month. I’ve read maybe one of his posts and I wanted to comment that he’s accomplishing nothing but depriving himself of sleep. I didn’t. Cause I’m not as horrible as other people on here think. Haha but really, he’s out of his mind.

I know! Uhh I don’t know what he does. I only read one post and he posted his numbers but I don’t remember. He just started this month. And get this, he wrote like nothing that he’d have 14 completed novels after the year. Whaaaaaat!? No. No idea if he’s made it before.

Exactly! And I already think you’re a writing madwoman! I think he said he does it every two years. But is it even possible to really edit that many books in that amount of time? I have no idea. I know other writers spend months and months on one book. I can’t imagine him really editing all of his work. Sounds impossible.

Really? Just one? You don’t have ANY other ideas? I have so many ideas. Maybe not novel ideas, but ideas for scenes and characters, etc. I’m surprised… I mean, with how much TV you watch and all. TV always gives me random ideas. As does eavesdropping at Starbucks. lol

Hey! Don’t question how my ideas come about. Haha umm…it’s random. My first book was something I thought of over like a year and a half and then I wrote the stupid thing. Lol. My second was something I thought of when I finished my first. And it’s really relevant to what’s happening today. Like in society. I guess I just think of them during my many hours of sleep? I don’t know!

I was in school! From January 2012-May 2013 I had no break. I took classes every possible time they were offered. And I still had to take a max course load my last semester and a class that actually happened after my actual graduation. So blah.

You should be punched in the face. I have so many things I have to do and so little time. That is why I am taking advantage of my day off and I have been sitting at starbucks writing for…almost 4 hours now. I am on my second venti iced tea as we speak. (Plus I am waiting for my cat to be done at the vet at 3.)

Hey! Didn’t you threaten yesterday to stop commenting. I’m no good with threats. Soooo stop it. AND there are cats everywhere. Stray cats sleep on my porch, in my bushes, by my pool, under my car, on the fence. No. Just no. Haha

Hahaha! They’re a handful, but they’re the coolest. 🙂 oh my word though… Earlier when I picked Ally up from the vet she was super high and freaked out in the back room when they moved her into her cat carrier. All I could hear was the bell on her collar jingling and things slamming into the door. Never thought my 5lb cat could put up such a fight!

It was. I had her spayed. Didn’t want anymore baby kitties. They’re sure adorable but I live in an apartment and they have taken over my bathroom.
What’s her name? They’re so funny when they think they can eat a doberman. Ha!

No more baby kitties!? Who could say such a thing? I’ve never even had a cat, but kittens are always cute. I’ve watched cat videos like everyone else. Haha. It’s Maya. Which I think I told you on your puppy post a while back? Maybe. You should remember these things. Cause I offered to trade her. I think. Lol

Umm…I would, but my husband would not be too happy about more kittens. He is tired of stepping on cat litter on the bathroom floor.
You did…I was thinking Mia. I was somewhat close. And yes, I declined. I love my dog too much!

Nah… I was already tan. But I guess I must have got a little burn cause some random guy commented when I was in line at the grocery store earlier. Then he kept talking to me and telling me about his boat that just got the transmission fixed on it. Do boats even have a transmission? I honestly don’t know anything about boats besides the fact that they are awesome. So I’m all like “whatever dude I just want my pizza!” Haha I didn’t say that though. I’m not that mean.

Bahaha I’ve never even been on a boat. BUT I swear I’ve seen so many guys hitting on women at the grocery store. I’m never close enough to really hear what they’re saying but the women always look really into it. Like they’re there with their kid with this random middle age guy just talking and talking and I’m like whaa!? How does that even happen? Hahaha seems weird to me. But I know nothing.

Happens to me all the time. I was at the library once and this random guy sitting outside was like “damn girl, you’re beautiful! What’s your name? Can I have your number?” I was a little caught off guard and just flashed my ring and said I was married. Lol some people!
Sounds like a job for Wikipedia! 😉

I’m seriously laughing at your life experiences. I know guys are forward or whatever but I’d never do that. Cause girls are terrible with compliments. A couple months ago I saw a friend of mine for the first time in like six ish months and I was a couple minutes late so she was waiting. I walked up and was like “hey. You look nice.” Exactly like that. Her response “huh?” Haha so I’m not telling strangers anything after things like that. Lol

Haha I’ve had some funny things happen to me. I used to work the night shift at Denny’s and I’d get random guys hitting on me all the time. One guy told me I was too pretty to work there. I wasn’t exactly sure what he was getting at but….. I could only guess.
That’s pretty funny though. About your friend I mean. 🙂
I meant Wikipedia for the boat transmission question. Lol!

Ya it sucked… Although I didn’t serve alcohol, thankfully! But I had some veeeeeery interesting characters come in. That Denny’s was cursed. Imagine like every bad crime imaginable. K? Stabbing, shootings, rape, murder, break ins (including my own car)…. It’s all happened there. Creepy, creepy place. I even had a suicidal person come in once. She didn’t look so hot when she came in and we ended up having a restaurant full of medics an hour later. Why am I even telling you all this? Haha

That sounds like a place you should not have been working at! You’re telling me because it’s fun to share stories over the internet? Or maybe you’re under my spell and you have no control over what you’re telling me? No. That would be crazy. Haha

Yeah, my car was broken into within the first month and every time after that I had the cook walk me to my car when I got off. I could seriously write a book about all the strange things I’ve experienced. Or at least all the interesting people I’ve met over the last 22 years.

Haha and maybe you can apply it to your writing stuff if you so choose without my knowledge. Emphasis on “without my knowledge.” But really, no matter how many times you rewrite something or edit or reread, you will always find something that you read like “no. I don’t like you.” Eventually you’ll just have to ask yourself if you’re making the story better or changing thongs for the sake of changing things.

Yeah, I know you’re right. It’s just hard when you have an idea of how something is going to go in your head, but no matter how many times you rewrite it, it never is to your satisfaction. This is my last rewrite, then it’s on to the editing process. Aka: start new novel time. 😉

Well actually, I just did some quick unscientific research and I think you’re the third highest commenter. And second most recent one. I have three people way up in the hundreds of comments. BUT your archery-ness can’t be beat. So fine. You can stay. Only because you’re a real-life Katniss. 🙂 Lucky. And why aren’t you sleeping!?

Switched at Birth is one of my favorite shows!!! Lol I think it’s interesting because my sister is hearing impaired. She can speak normally though, so we never had to use sign language. But her friend had the same amount of hearing loss and can barely talk. So we were really lucky.

Yeah my sister reads lips too. Like Daphne. But she isn’t completely deaf. She can hear with her hearing aids but when they’re off, you have to really yell. Haha and she says the funniest things too. She pronounces things so weird sometimes. Like Martin Luther King she pronounced like Market Whose The King. She was little then but we’re all like “whaaaaaaa???”

Hey, we all have those things were afraid of. Even if they are stupid like frogs or roaches 🙂 although roaches are more understandable than frogs. Why would anyone be scared of a frog? Lol apparently this girl.

Dude, so does my dog. She was barking at my landlords archery target earlier. She was having a fit like it was a monster or something. I had to take her up to it to show her it wasn’t going to hurt her. Dumb dog.

Ya… My dog is scared of the weirdest stuff. The Xbox avatars, large stuffed animals, people paused on the tv screen, Justin Bieber, large piles of boxes, umm….. Anyone wearing rain gear and/or a had hat. The list could go on.

As much as I like arguing one side of controversial topics, this is one that I’m actually pretty neutral about. As someone who enjoys Camp NaNoWriMo, I wouldn’t say that it’s completely useless. If not for NaNo I would never actually have the will to sit down and write. That goal I set for myself is what gets me to write (I’m way too competitive for my own good). It’s also a good way for me to stay connected with the online friends I’ve made over the years. The added bonus is that I get so good at just sitting and writing without editting that written exams are easier because I’m not so stressed out by the limited time frame.
Let’s keep in mind that I’m not a professional writer though, just someone who enjoys writing and getting some constructive criticism on it after publishing it on Booksie or Wattpad. I’m not even an aspiring novelist, to be honest, I just use writing as an escape most of the time. NaNo helps me clear my head and then I’m good for another couple of months before it starts getting crowded up there again.
So what I will have to agree with you on is the number of professional authors who use NaNo as an excuse to get more writing done. Yes, it’s probably easier to write when you have that extra motivation but, at the same time, why would you become an author without having the sheer power of will required? Writing isn’t easy, especially if it’s your source of income. Why go through that if you can’t stick with it aside from those two or three months a year when NaNoWriMo is running? While there are some NaNo books that have been picked up by publishers (Sara Gruen’s ‘Water for Elephants’ and Erin Morgenstern’s ‘The Night Circus’ being two examples), this is extremely rare.
I guess it really depends on what you plan on doing with NaNo. If it’s something you do occasionally because you just suddenly have the desire to write – go for it I say. Even if you just want to ‘win’ something or you want that 50% off on Scrivener, go ahead! I just don’t think writing as a career and NaNoWriMo should mix. There are no motivational months or programs for doctors or teachers or designers and they all stick with it. Writers should be able to do the same too.

Oh man. This is great. I really can’t add to anything you said because you’re absolutely spot on. And yes, I know of those two books. Those are the two I read in some article at some point in time. But really, thanks for reading and for your rather perfect response. At least I thought it was.

Outrage might be a bit much, but you’re definitely trying to poke the bear. I’ll bite a bit and argue that most writers I know use those months as additional motivation. It’s not that they can’t motivate themselves to write like that year round (though I think it’s an exhaustive pace for some), it’s just that they find it to be a source of bonding and camaraderie.
I’m all for anything that gets folks writing. And, while I agree that your writing shouldn’t revolve around two months of high-paced writing, I see nothing wrong with it supplementing an otherwise steady writing diet.

One thing I failed to write in this is that in all those NaNo posts I’ve read, they always talk about the community. So I actually agree with that. Cause writers are often ridiculously cruel to one another for no reason. So it’s nice to see that at least the two months have eased that some.

“Cause writers are often ridiculously cruel to one another for no reason.”
While I’ve been witness to some barbs thrown back and forth in the past, the majority of interactions I’ve had with other writers are good. I belong to a writers group that meets once a week, I’ve attended conferences with other writers, and I’ve even found online communities that are fairly friendly (a rarity). In general, I’ve found most writers, whether online or in person, to be reasonable, fair people who are all moving toward the same goal of publication. Shame you haven’t had the same experience.

I had never hear of it until a couple months ago and went for it just because I was having trouble getting into a routine of writing. I respond really well to deadlines, and since I have been out of school I have had a hard time getting back into a work routine. I don’t think any of us expect our drafts to be polished works we can publish right away. It’s just a fun way for aspiring authors to all get together and write/edit their works. Obviously, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m enjoying it though, and this is my first work outside of academic writing so I like the fact that I now have a network of other creative writers.

Ya, I didn’t know November was like that. I set my goal for 75000, a lot of my cabin has smaller goals, but I’m pretty sure most of them are finishing works. Some are editing too. And I know, you just like to cause trouble! 🙂

When I first heard of NaNoWriMo, I thought someone was pulling my leg. I quickly learned that it really does exist. I think moral support is great, but the error of this kind of activity is that it detours around one very relevant truth: the accomplishment of a novel requires a substantial degree of intrinsic motivation. Training yourself to depend on special circumstances – such as NaNoWriMo – in order to write is a very very bad idea. If you’re a writer, you’ll sit down and write, it’s that simple.

I’ve never been tempted by NaNoWriMo. When I first learned about it, I laughed. I guess some people have a lot more time on their hands in November that the rest of us. Surely they were not wives or mothers, husbands or fathers, or employees. If they were, I wouldn’t want to be a spouse, child, or employer of any of them.

Maybe my criticism is unfair. After all, how do I know how much time others have? Anyway, I’m not about to start doing NaNoWriMo. I agree with your assessment of its value after the first year. And it’s not likely to produce a novel without followup edits and rewrites.

I’ve never taken the nano bait, and never will. I have a full time job and a life away from this keyboard. I write in fits and starts, but once I start, I finish. Sometimes I get 500 words per saturday, one three day weekend I hit 14,000. (7 complete novels.)
I don’t write every day, like most recommend. I spend a lot of time on my outline so that when I write, I can be more productive. I work on some aspect of the writing game every day. It isn’t all new words on the page.
I just don’t think there is a best way. What works for me won’t work for some others. In my case, the nano events would not help. I also expect a novel to be longer than 50K.

I won’t ever do NaNo (hello! I have multiple jobs and a busy life!), but if it helps other people, more power to them. As long as they don’t use it as an excuse to forego writing for the rest of the year. Participate in NaNo? Fine, but that better be followed up by more writing or else you’re just being a drama queen. ” Did YOU do NaNo this year? I did, and I finished a whole book! Look how special I am! I can now fart idioms and word counts and blargh!”

No. I understand some people need motivation and a little external deadline to get going… and that’s fine, but don’t use NaNo as a way to “be a writer” when the rest of the year you sit around on your butt and just tell people how much you’re a writer, but only write/edit/proofread/etc. two months(ish) out of the year.

Again… I don’t have anything against NaNo, as long as it’s used in the right capacity. But I’ll never use it. I’ve said before that, although writing is a VERY important part of who I am, I won’t let it dictate my entire life and I won’t miss out on what’s going on around me just to bump my word count forward a few months.

I don’t have anything against other people doing it as long as they use it without letting it become a crap-filled excuse. I won’t ever do it because I simply don’t have the time. And, maybe I’m tooting my own horn here, but I don’t need it. I’m quite capable of inspiring myself and staying fairly well motivated. And even if I wasn’t, that kind of pressure is behind me. I finished college and grad school already. Who needs that kind of additional stress in their lives? Not this girl, that’s for sure.

Oh please. I’ve decided to stop replying to the dumb ones. Some might say the ones who disagree with me but not necessarily. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about how commenters take things I do or don’t say way too personally and guess what her response was? By the way, I’d consider her the only person I know more sarcastic than me. And she openly admits that her sarcasm can come across as rude because it’s just so…dry? If that makes sense. Anyway, she said to put a disclaimer on here for no one to take things personal cause it’s just how I write. Haha I should. Right next to the disclaimer that I’m not going to accept any awards. That’d be great.

The idea behind nanowrimo is to get a rough draft out. No 50,000 words is not a finished novel, but it’s a start. Writing is a fairly solitary experience but for some of us it is nice to share the experience with other writers during nanowrimo. I do write all year round but nano is the best means for me to get my rough draft out. I’ve always been the kind of person who edits as they go, but nano is just about getting the words out and for me and many other writers, it works. Once I have a rough draft then I can polish it and make into something that I am proud of in revision. Writing is rewriting as they say.

You don’t have to agree with it. Hell, there are many writer practices I don’t agree with, but just because something doesn’t work for you, doesn’t mean that it is without value.

Sorry, John — no outrage here, or at least none directed at you. I happen to agree with you. It would perhaps be less of a problem if the people who write their nano-novels every year considered those to be mere first drafts and spent a lot of time rewriting and revising and perhaps even PROOFREADING and EDITING the darn things before throwing their creations up on the internet for sale. Alas, the attitude of “Don’t edit as you write — save it for later” usually translates as “Don’t edit EVER — your writing is already perfect, darling.” *shakes head*

I’ve mostly noticed that people write their 50,000 words, and then never revisit it again, because editing is a huge pain in the ass.

The only year I’ve actually “won” NaNo was my first year. I’d never written so much as a short story before (I was more of a poet than an author). I was unemployed at the time, and even then, I wrote 50% of my book on the last day (I typed 26,000 words in one day. It was insane.)

I’ve gone back and read through it, and it’s just… very boring and superficial for what I was trying to explore. But I definitely feel accomplished that I stuck with the premise the whole way through.

It’s never going to see the light of day, though. I am meant for Sci-Fi/Fantasy writing, not the delicate exploration of family dynamics following the Argentinian “Dirty War.”

I tend to find that most of the folks I know who do NaNo have never considered themselves authors, and do it because they love reading, but their writing experience is usually confined to the academic and they want to explore creative writing for a little bit.

Okay to most of what you said. But there are SO many writers who participate in NaNo and absolutely consider themselves authors. All I have to do is scroll down my Twitter TL or WordPress Reader to see that.